The Pearl Oyster Defense Directive
is the 14th episode of the series, Ultraman. This episode aired on October 16th, 1966. Synopsis A strange creature is attacking pearl farms on the Japanese coastline. Plot When the Science Patrol's monthly paycheck arrives, Fuji and Ide go out shopping only for Fuji to be enticed by Pearls being sold at a Jewelry Store. As Fuji is shopping though, she learns from the Jewelry Store's Owner that Pearls have been growing scarce as of late and thus have become more expensive to purchase as a result. Believing that a Monster is behind these actions, Fuji returns to the Science Patrol's HQ to prepare for investigations. Meanwhile farther off near Japan's Sea, two men driving a truck to evacuate some surviving Pearl-producing Oysters suddenly is attacked by a giant green monster, who smashes their truck and proceeds to feeding on the Pearls within them! The news is quickly sent to the Science Patrol and they head off to deal with the Monster themselves. As the Science Patrol attacks it while it feeds, the Monster (named "Gamakujira") quickly consumes the Pearls and retreats into the Ocean, but not before taking out the Science Patrol VTOL by spraying water at it from its Blowhole, damaging it and stranding them for the time being. Later that night while the VTOL is being repaired, the team learns that Gamakujira is behind the Pearls' recent decline and Fuji is enraged by this. The next morning, Gamakujira (who had been resting on an island closeby to the VTOL's crashsite) awakens and swims away to resume feeding on Pearls, heading for Nagoya! The Science Patrol attempts to stop the Monster's trek, but none of their weapons are able to slow down Gamakujira at all. Sure enough, the Science Patrol deploys an Electrified Net and they manage to ensnare Gamakujira from within it, where they proceed to electrocute the Monster. This however only provokes Gamakujira, who wildly thrashes about until freeing itself by knocking Hayata's VTOL out of sky, who drops the net. Upon being freed, Gamakujira next attacks a group of Woman bathers, but is temporarily stopped by the Jewelry they left behind and resumes feeding. Realizing that the Monster is enticed by Pearls too, the Science Patrol tries a new attack. Disguising several bombs as Pearls, the team manages to trick Gamakujira into feeding on the phony pearls, olbivious to it that they will detonate in mere seconds. Sure enough while feeding, the bombs go off, both all around Gamakujira, as well as inside the Monster, causing it to become wild and erratic, throwing itself around everywhere. With the monster now vulnerable, the Science Patrol then initiates another new attack suggested by Hayata: Firing a rocket at the Monster's backside to send it into Outer Space. The rocket is launches and hitches itself into Gamakujira, sending the Monster flying all over the sky without any control whatsoever. Fortunately, Hayata (who was still recovering after being knocked out of the Sky from the Electric Net plan failing,) manages to recover and he transforms into Ultraman to finish the job. Flying after the erratic Gamakujira, Ultraman and the Monster collide in mid-air, causing an explosion that finally kills Gamakujira. With the Monster no more, the Pearls resume being harvested for Jewelry, much to Fuji's delight, but not for Ide, who is forced to carry around all of her gifts much to his displeasure. Cast * Kōji Ishizaka as the Narrator * Susumu Kurobe as Shin Hayata * Akiji Kobayashi as Captain Toshio Muramatsu * Sandayū Dokumamushi as Daisuke Arashi * Masanari Nihei as Mitsuhiro Ide * Hiroko Sakurai as Akiko Fuji Special Guests * Sen Yano as a Jewelry Store Owner * Ben Hiura as a Pearl Oyster Haul Truck Driver * Minori Terada as Truck Driver's Assistant Suit Actors * Bin "Satoshi" Furuya as Ultraman * Teruo Aragaki as Gamakujira Notes *Despite being the 14th episode of the series, this was the 15th episode to be made during production. *From this episode onwards (until "The Challenge to the Underground") in the Ultraman series, the face mask on the Ultraman costume was updated into it's "Type-B" design. The Face's design for Type-B was given brighter-lite eyes, bigger ears, and a Smaller, closed Mouth. The Texturing of the Mask was also much more smoothed out than the rather silicone-esque sculpting that the Type-A mask had. *Originally, Ultraman was meant to fight Gamakujira in a traditional battle with the Monster biting his arm and causing him to bleed. Ultraman would carry over his injury to Hayata, raising Captain Mura suspicion of Ultraman/Hayata's true identity. For unknown reasons, this fight scene never made it into the episode. Errors *''to be added'' External Links *Watch on Hulu *Watch on Shout Factory TV References Category:Ultraman Episodes Category:Episodes